Lionel Messi couldn’t contain his emotions at the final whistle as Argentina made a late comeback against Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16. After watching former rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar suffer painful exits in previous matches, the Inter Miami star shed tears of joy as the hosts secured their place in the quarter-finals.At the final whistle, after Argentina’s victory over Egypt was confirmed, he let out all his worries and burst into tears as if he had never won anything in a football match, as if nothing mattered, or as if it was the first time.The game had everything. Argentina trailed 2-0 with just over ten minutes to go in regulation, facing one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Then Messi took over. He set up Cristian Romero’s header to make it 2-1. He found himself four minutes later, a clinical finish that made him the first player in history to achieve six consecutive World Cup appearances. Enzo Fernández then headed home a cross from Lautaro Martínez in stoppage time to complete a comeback that left the football world speechless.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts after winning the round of 16 World Cup against Egypt. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Lautaro Martínez summed it up after the game. “He had to cry,” Messi said. “Because he is our example, our guide, who helped us a lot.”For Messi, the images of his celebration may be the defining moment of this World Cup, showing that despite his success, the hunger to win with his country remains as strong as ever.Ronaldo cried after losing in Dallas 24 hours earlier. Neymar cried after losing in New Jersey last night. On Tuesday in Atlanta, Messi cried in victory and the difference between the two tears tells you everything that he stands above all at this moment.The dream of back-to-back World Cups is alive. Messi is alive. And the image of the greatest football player of all time, lying on the grass in Atlanta with tears streaming down his face, is the image of this entire tournament.